HB 1235 -- Health Care Directives

Sponsor:  Davis

This bill specifies that a health care provider who is
withholding or withdrawing artificially supplied nutrition and
hydration according to a health care directive under a durable
power of attorney will be prohibited from withholding or
withdrawing food and water unless a 60-day rehabilitative effort
involving the patient's swallowing reflexes has elapsed or oral
feeding is offered at least three times per day after
discontinuing artificially supplied nutrition and hydration.
Oral feedings will only be offered if the patient is able and
willing and there is no evidence of choking, distress, or pain.
If a patient swallows during an oral feeding, it will be deemed
as a desire to continue food and water and revokes any underlying
health care directive.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:10 pm